AOPA's Dunn speaks at GA issues conference

July 16, 2014

ByAOPA ePublishing staff

AOPA joined with the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and other general and business aviation organizations to host the annual General Aviation Issues and Security Conference July 13 through 15 in Pittsburgh.

The GA Issues and Security Conference brings together GA professionals and industry stakeholders from across the country to focus on tackling issues and sharing experiences across all aspects of GA. Topics discussed included the latest on federal funding and the impending FAA reauthorization, residential through-the-fence agreements, recent developments in general aviation security, the FAA's recent focus on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), the ASSET II review of unclassified airports, and wildlife management issues. The conference also highlighted industry best practices in areas such as nonaeronautical revenue development, business efficiency, operational safety, local government relations, and community outreach.

AOPA was represented by Bill Dunn, vice president of airport advocacy. He spoke to attendees on issues being covered by AOPA, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s practice of ramp checks and aircraft searches; an update on the FAA reauthorization bill; the FAA’s updated report on GA airports that added 497 airports left out of the 2012 study; and the ongoing battle to keep California’s Santa Monica Municipal Airport open past 2015.

“This conference provides AOPA with the opportunity to take our advocacy messages to the general aviation airport management community,” said Dunn. “We look forward to continuing to work with organizations like AAAE on GA issues."

AOPA expressed concern in a meeting with town officials from East Hampton, New York, that restrictions proposed to curb airport noise “overwhelmingly” generated by transient commercial flights would unfairly burden traditional airport users.